Camping in 2021does not bode well!

[2haw]

Borris,

How about buying another California, maybe an Ocean for your wife to drive? Take 2 of them, one for the boys and another for the girls?? Bet you hadn’t thought of that before??

 

[2haw]

I can’t see many pitches being available over here but I’m still hopeful of getting one in France in late August..

Dreaming of Le Capeyrou!!

 

[LucyYorkshire]

I’m a little late to this party but I vote for the Eriba option if you can get hold of one. I’ve owned a T@B and an Eriba (still have the Eriba) and although they are both amazing the Eriba wins hands down for towability (you have to keep reminding yourself you’re towing something it’s so easy!) and the choice of different layouts is excellent. The residuals are very good and the thing is virtually bulletproof.

 

[gvick]

If we were going to look seriously at caravans I think it would have to be something like the Swift basecamp or an Eriba. I really don't want to tow a detached bungalow around behind me.

The Eriba Rockabilly model looks very retro cool - pop top like Cali and built out of aircraft grade aluminium but not cheap - that’s the model I would go for.
cult following like Calis so strong resale.

 

[Dr-Snickers]

How amazing would an Eriba be if you did a two tone to match your Cali!

 

[bob_summers]

Hello Bob_Summers,

Beginning of Janaury we got a bit of the "blues" and decided to book a ferry from Roslare to Cherbourg to visit the Baltic States at the end of June. We hoped at that time the vaccination and therefore the fight against the virus would have gone so far that we can travel.

Fast forwarding to May we learned that still many countries have some restrictions to let visitors in.

Last week Friday my wife saw that Spain accepts visitors if they have a negative Covid test. So we changed the ferry from Roslare to Bilbao to visit norther Spain.
This week Wednesday in the main Irish news they spoke about the fact that unnecessary travel abroad is still not permitted and can be fined up to EUR 2.000.



Unfortenately holliday is not part of the necessary travel. The way I see it is that at the moment the Garda checks people coming into the country. At that point if we can't prove that we had a good reason to leave Ireland we might get in trouble (see above).

We still hope that in the next few weeks the situation changes. I can imagine that the pressure on the Irish Goverment is rather high. But also they are very concerned about the Indian version of the virus. Because of this changes might delay.

We have to see how it works out. We spoke to the ferry company. We can keep the booking until next year, in case we have to stay here. Our problem is that during June / July Ireland will be very busy. I expect camp sites will be full. We also have to wait and see.

Happy hopefully traveling California.
Eberhard

Hope to see your Cali passing through Pais Vasco soon Eberhard! We’re going to Bilbao today, coincidentally.

 

[Borris]

Borris,

How about buying another California, maybe an Ocean for your wife to drive? Take 2 of them, one for the boys and another for the girls?? Bet you hadn’t thought of that before??

Cheeky!

It's just a wild guess but I suspect that you already knew that we previously owned two Californias at the same time. I won't bore you with how that situation came about. Suffice to say that we won't be going down that road again.

 

[Borris]

Just to make things clear, mentioning our half hearted research in post #1 was merely a way to introduce the main point of this thread, that being, the projected lack of space in campsites this year. Perhaps, I should have come straight to the point instead!

I am as ever, happy to discuss caravans, tents and the various other alternatives but that wasn't my aim when posting this thread.

Never the less it is developing into an interesting discussion with lots of new innovative designs that I have never seen before. So crack on.

 

[TripleBee]

How amazing would an Eriba be if you did a two tone to match your Cali!

View attachment 78834

Like this one?

 

[Dr-Snickers]

Like this one?

View attachment 78837

Change the lower half to starlight blue and @Borris would be driving in serious style.

Love the way the silver lower edge of the Eriba runs at the same height of the chrome side strips on the Cali. Looks like they were meant to be!

 

[AlisonF]

I’ve looked at a couple of campsites recently with a view to camping with a friend to test out our Eriba’s. Both had availability.
One was a CCC CS site and the other a larger C&MH site. I was pleasantly surprised as expected to struggle to find suitable dates. Admittedly we are only looking for a couple of nights midweek.

 

[Buslife123]

Preamble - Mrs B and I may have a problem looming. We have always looked after our three nearest grandchildren for much of their holidays. As the blighters will insist on growing we are going to have a problem in the not too distant future. With the eldest boy being eleven and the two girls being seven and nine things are going to get rather tight inside when Cali camping. So as just one option, we have been half-heartedly looking at caravans. I will say at this point that I don't like caravans at all and hate the thought of towing all that fragile chipboard and plastic around etc. However, it would be one way to sort the issue out. Boys in the Cali and girls in the caravan. To that end we have been treating the exploration of the various possible future options as a very weak excuse for a jolly in order to enjoy our newly found freedom. Visit somewhere, have a good nose around the options, see some nice countryside and have a good picnic as well. You know the format.

Now to my point. Yesterday we visited two places that sell caravans. One was a smallish local business with maybe three dozen vans for sale, all second hand. The other was a dealer that sold only brand new caravans. They had many dozens of them rammed into every nook and cranny of their extensive compound and showrooms. To my surprise, with the exception of just four new vans at the dealers and two poor second hand examples at the first business, every other caravan had a sold sticker on it. Whilst that suited me down to the ground it rang alarm bells for this summers travel prospects. Whilst I was aware that the sales of tents, campervans, motorhomes and caravans had been very strong both last year and again this year, I had no idea of the scale of this "feeding frenzy". I haven't even tried to book any campsites during the summer holidays but it's my guess that I'd be wasting my time!

We are a family of 5 and managed in a beach with the three seat bench (three children downstairs and two adults upstairs). With the eldest off to Uni now and only with us occasionally, we have an ocean on order. We have found a good awning by outdoor revolution called the cayman and has a detachable annex (sleeping pod). We’ve yet to try it out but looks good.

 

[Borris]

We are a family of 5 and managed in a beach with the three seat bench (three children downstairs and two adults upstairs). With the eldest off to Uni now and only with us occasionally, we have an ocean on order. We have found a good awning by outdoor revolution called the cayman and has a detachable annex (sleeping pod). We’ve yet to try it out but looks good.

We also have a blow up awning which gets used from time to time but tbh awnings are a PITA and best avoided if at all possible. Well that's my opinion at least.

Having said that ours has been very useful for entertaining and in the past with the kids.

 

[Dr-Snickers]

I’ve looked at a couple of campsites recently with a view to camping with a friend to test out our Eriba’s. Both had availability.
One was a CCC CS site and the other a larger C&MH site. I was pleasantly surprised as expected to struggle to find suitable dates. Admittedly we are only looking for a couple of nights midweek.

We are off to Devon next week to have solar fitted. Decided we’d drive down in one go and then come home in smaller stages, staying at a different campsite each night. I tried a couple of well known sites I have previously stayed at and they didn’t have availability but I’ve managed to find some lovely, smaller sites with a more ‘wild camping’ vibe and the all important camp fires allowed. Hoping that may be the case in the summer but know it’s going to be harder than usual.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Wife had been looking at caravans in case we can't get to Spain. Only one that meets her approval is 8ft wide and 8m long, absolute bargain (not) at £32k!!! fixed bed & big bathroom.

I refused to drag that all round the country & don't want it on the drive at home, however I could see it working if we got a seasonal serviced pitch & left it there as a flexible alternative to a mobile home.

We are just having a family forum to judge how much use it would get, our 21 year old twins could use it with partners, my parents might, but it would be down to me to tow it.

An Initial show of hands looks like we could fill it every week from now up to the end of October. If its going to get used I don't mind buying it. So going to mull it over for the weekend whilst camping in the cali in what looks to be a wet & windy weekend.

Not a bad plan. We’ve just returned from Dorset and on Smedmore Campsite there were obviously caravans parked for the season (or part). Lovely location but very isolated. It wouldn’t suit people who needed shops/pubs/restaurants/etc. A location that suits the different age groups in your family might be the challenge?

 

[Deskman]

Tent.

We managed to camp with 4 kids for many years in two domes and I must say: I like the comfort of a kitchen and a fridge but for sleeping upstairs or in a tent - there is not that much difference.
When the kids grew older we gave them a spot on the other side of the field so they could pretend they were camping all alone.

I would prevent in every possible way to end up towing a caravan...

 

[paul_f]

If you are going to popular spots then I think you will struggle in the summer holidays if you haven't already booked. Especially with a caravan
I just checked the small site we went to several times spontaneously last summer in East Kent - they have availability every weekend for a small camper. Their prices have gone up 14% - though the facilities seem to have been upgraded

 

[Wildcamper]

Wife had been looking at caravans in case we can't get to Spain. Only one that meets her approval is 8ft wide and 8m long, absolute bargain (not) at £32k!!! fixed bed & big bathroom.

I refused to drag that all round the country & don't want it on the drive at home, however I could see it working if we got a seasonal serviced pitch & left it there as a flexible alternative to a mobile home.

We are just having a family forum to judge how much use it would get, our 21 year old twins could use it with partners, my parents might, but it would be down to me to tow it.

An Initial show of hands looks like we could fill it every week from now up to the end of October. If its going to get used I don't mind buying it. So going to mull it over for the weekend whilst camping in the cali in what looks to be a wet & windy weekend.

I love the mixed units - 8ft wide and 8 meters long! Only the Brits can mix Imperial with Metric. I did enjoy winding up some Americans by quoting pounds/(square meter). It was so good!

 

[Wildcamper]

I love the mixed units - 8ft wide and 8 meters long! Only the Brits can mix Imperial with Metric. I did enjoy winding up some Americans by quoting pounds/(square meter). It was so good!

Whoops! Pounds per square meter

 

[David Eccles]

I still regret selling our Eriba Puck which they don't make any more. Sleeps two and was great and easy to tow...
we had a queue when we sold it!

 

[Borris]

If you are going to popular spots then I think you will struggle in the summer holidays if you haven't already booked. Especially with a caravan
I just checked the small site we went to several times spontaneously last summer in East Kent - they have availability every weekend for a small camper. Their prices have gone up 14% - though the facilities seem to have been upgraded

Do tell.

 

[paul_f]

Do tell.

Fallow Fields in Eastry. Nice food if you don't want to cook, fire bowls allowed and Welly wanging on the Sunday morning

 

[DavidofHook]

I believe the nearest Eriba stockist to you would be automotive leisure in poole. I bought three Eriba's off them. Eriba's are the cali of campers/motorhomes, really very strong residuals. They also have the advantage that at 2m wide they are in practice no wider than the Cali when towing.

Yep I can confirm that Jen. We had one for about 3 years prior to the plunge into the Caliworld. Great quality, lovely inside, and easy to tow. Next best thing to a Cali I suppose. Just keep your head down inside!

 

[Borris]

Fallow Fields in Eastry. Nice food if you don't want to cook, fire bowls allowed and Welly wanging on the Sunday morning

View attachment 78876

View attachment 78877

Yes I know that site. It's only about four miles from us.

 

[andyinluton]

I love the mixed units - 8ft wide and 8 meters long! Only the Brits can mix Imperial with Metric. I did enjoy winding up some Americans by quoting pounds/(square meter). It was so good!

Sorry about that but it was half intentional - look at any caravan brochure and the width is invariably in feet & inches as for mainstream vans they are either “normal” or the newly legal in the uk 8ft wide. But the lengths are normally in M.

My brain works in mm, M, and miles. I use Mpg, and height of people is feet and inches, other heights are in metres.

For anything weight wise I’m metric apart from the bathroom scales which are strictly stones and pounds.

Liquids apart from petrol are strictly in litres or m3

I’m too young for pounds shillings and pence so am strictly decimal there.

Anyone else as mixed up with this new fangled decimal stuff?